Hotel owners in Búzios, Rio de Janeiro, united to transform their establishments into best practice examples of sustainable development.
The owners of Baía do João EcoPousada, Karl and Rita, with the Green Key sign.
Photo: © Baía do João EcoPousada
In the past months, the COVID-19 pandemic has subjected the hotel industry in Brazil to almost complete shutdown. But in Armação dos Búzios, Rio de Janeiro, owners of hotels and pousadas have used the idle period to come together for a good cause; to promote sustainability.
Led by Baía do João EcoPousada, the first establishment in Brazil certified with the Green Key label, and by three establishments, which have applied for the Green Key label; Pousada Abracadabra, Eco Villa Beija Flor and Villa Balthazar; the working party additionally consists of eleven Pousadas and hotels. By following European models of environmental conservation, this task group has been formed to plan and execute actions for better use and preservation of natural resources in the region. Felix Broden, General Manager of Abracadabra, noted;
We believe that having a group of hotels working together, enables us to aim at executing bigger projects such as getting the attention of the city to institute a recycling program or sharing daily tips about where to find ecological cleaning supplies.
The internationally well-known eco-label Green Key requires multiple criteria, which must be maintained and evaluated in subsequent inspections to be awarded. Therefore, one of the intersecting elements of the working party aims to adapt processes, such as waste management, cleaning, food, energy saving, water reuse, and other requirements necessary to achieve the award. The sense of community that provoked through the task group reached even other hotels in Búzios, who voluntarily agreed to cooperate with recycling actions, beach cleanups and by using ecologically safe products in their establishments, revealing the strength awakened by collective engagement.
The group's efforts reached Búzios Secretariat for the Environment, which now not only supports their initiatives but has actively worked together with them. Hence, the first recycling plant in Baía Formosa has been licenced by them, and they are actively bidding for the approval of the Environment City Council to be able to carry out its daily collection.
The interest in environmentally conscious establishments is proving to be a growing priority amongst the most diverse audiences of tourists. In Brazil, the debate about sustainable development has just started. However, it is more important than ever, considering the country's wealth of natural resources and biodiversity. It is expected that the new initiatives implemented in Búzios will not only attract more local and international guests but additionally invite more consciously travelling tourists to the region. Hence, and an audience that is more concerned with reducing their environmental footprint and taking care of the environment they travel to.
For more information, please contact:
Green Key Brazil
gkbrasil@greenkey.org.br
comunicacao@iarbrasil.org.br
+55 (47) 99947-0267
